A Note For New Homeowners, Part 2
CONTINUED… No matter what type of home, townhouse, single family, condo or even mobile home, the need for treated water is something that each owner needs to consider.Having a new house built? Plan for the proper system to meet your needs. If you do this early enough, there is a chance you can work with your home builder to locate the best spot, normally near the water heater and a floor drain, to put in a “three way bypass” or a ball valve to ease the installation of water treatment equipment. Another option for a future softener or filter installation is to have your builder put in a water softener loop. The purpose of a water softener loop is to provide a dedicated spot for the softener or filter and makes it easier for the future installation of the systems.
If moving into an existing home, talk to the neighbors to find out what issues they have dealt with. A water test is always important and, if moving to a place with city provided water, the local government needs to post annual water test results – review this to find out the hardness, iron, and chlorine levels. When dealing with well water, a current water test is the best way to figure out what water treatment system you need.
Finally, there should be an accessible place to shut-off the water for the whole house and that is where a water treatment bypass should be installed. Water to an outside faucet or spigot should be on the untreated side, but the rest of the supply should be connected to the treated water. All of this you should do prior to purchasing a water treatment system and will put you on the path to being happy with the water in your new home.
